An “incident” involving a “group of students” at Amsterdam High School on Monday is under investigation, according to Montgomery County Sheriff Jeffery Smith and a statement issued by the Greater Amsterdam School District.
More specific details about what transpired or the number of students involved have not been released.
Smith declined to discuss the incident citing the active investigation when reached Tuesday morning. The sheriff said only that no one was believed to be injured and no charges had yet been filed.
“We’re working with the school to investigate and hold people responsible,” Smith said.
A statement issued by the school district stated only that an incident involving a group of students had occurred in the high school commons leading to a hold in place on Monday from 8:45 to 10 a.m.
High school staff immediately intervened to diffuse the situation and local law enforcement were called and responded to assist, according to the district statement.
“Violence is never the answer and we do not tolerate it in our schools,” Superintendent Richard Ruberti said in a prepared statement. “We want our community to know that the district takes these situations very seriously. We are committed to embracing a school culture where all students demonstrate respect for themselves, their peers, and staff.”
Ruberti did not immediately respond to a request for comment on Tuesday morning.
The district noted students are expected to follow the high school handbook and are held to the standards of the district code of conduct, including disciplinary procedures.
“We work tirelessly to make our school a safe and welcoming place for students, and we will continue to reinforce appropriate behavior and build a positive school climate,” Amsterdam High School Principal Mike Gennett said in a prepared statement. “This is not representative of the culture we want for our school.”
District officials will meet with officials from local law enforcement, the city of Amsterdam and Montgomery County on Wednesday to “review collaboration opportunities aimed at addressing behavioral concerns effectively.”
The district encouraged students in need of additional support to contact the high school counseling office at any time.
Measures to enhance school safety and initiatives to improve school culture have been a priority in recent years, especially as social and emotional issues contributing to behavioral problems emerged when students returned to school after learning remotely due to the pandemic.
Security measures and protocols were intensified earlier this year after a 14-year-old student allegedly brought at least one gun into the high school during the day on Jan. 30. School officials did not learn of the incident until a parent overheard a conversation at a basketball game that night and alerted authorities.
The student, whose name was withheld due to their age, was allegedly in possession of two loaded handguns when he was taken into custody off school grounds the same night. The firearms were allegedly stolen from a home in the city of Amsterdam.
The teen was charged with second-degree criminal possession of a weapon, criminal possession of a weapon on school grounds, two counts of fourth-degree grand larceny and two counts of fourth-degree criminal possession of a weapon.